Your dog is scratching like crazy, or sick to his stomach. Could his food be the culprit?

Food allergies aren’t extremely common in dogs, but they aren’t uncommon either. Food allergies affect dogs in two primary ways, says Korinn Saker, a clinical nutritionist at the North Carolina State School of Veterinary Medicine who specializes in canine allergies. “We either see skin issues, or GI [gastrointestinal] issues,” she says. If your dog is experiencing vomiting or diarrhea on a regular basis, or is itching constantly and licking or biting at his skin or fur, allergies may be to blame. (Your vet can help you rule out other ailments, like parasites or infections, that could cause similar symptoms.)

Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell whether an allergic dog is having a reaction to his food or to an environmental allergen such as pollen. (Dogs can also become allergic to food they’ve happily eaten their entire lives making detection even more difficult.) Still, there are ways to tell if food is the foe, Sakar says. “The most definitive way to do that is to do a feeding elimination trial,” she says. In other words, try removing the suspected ingredient or ingredients from the dog’s diet, and see what happens.More

Your dog is scratching like crazy, or sick to his stomach. Could his food be the culprit?

Food allergies aren’t extremely common in dogs, but they aren’t uncommon either. Food allergies affect dogs in two primary ways, says Korinn Saker, a clinical nutritionist at the North Carolina State School of Veterinary Medicine who specializes in canine allergies. “We either see skin issues, or GI [gastrointestinal] issues,” she says. If your dog is experiencing vomiting or diarrhea on a regular basis, or is itching constantly and licking or biting at his skin or fur, allergies may be to blame. (Your vet can help you rule out other ailments, like parasites or infections, that could cause similar symptoms.)

Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell whether an allergic dog is having a reaction to his food or to an environmental allergen such as pollen. (Dogs can also become allergic to food they’ve happily eaten their entire lives making detection even more difficult.) Still, there are ways to tell if food is the foe, Sakar says. “The most definitive way to do that is to do a feeding elimination trial,” she says. In other words, try removing the suspected ingredient or ingredients from the dog’s diet, and see what happens.More